LOCATION VELOW                   TX

Established Series
Rev. GLL
07/2022

VELOW SERIES

The Velow series consists of deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in calcareous, loamy sediments. These gently sloping soils are along footslopes and narrow valleys. Slope is dominantly about 3 percent, but ranges from 1 to 5 percent.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Velow clay loam, on a convex 3 percent slope, in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky and granular structure; hard, friable; common fine roots; common fine pores; few wormcasts; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

B21t--16 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; few fine pores; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 22 inches thick)

B22ca--30 to 45 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; few fine roots; common fine pores; common films and threads of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline; calcareous; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 28 inches thick)

B3ca--45 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable; few fine roots; common fine pores, common films, threads, and soft masses of calcium carbonate; few limestone fragments less than 1 inch across; moderately alkaline; calcareous. (10 to 30 inches thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Palo Pinto County, Texas; from the intersection of Texas Highway 16 and Farm Road 2372 in Strawn; 1.4 miles west on Farm Road 2372; 50 feet north from fence in rangeland.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
The solum is 40 to more than 60 inches thick. Depth to secondary carbonates ranges from 20 to 36 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, and 2.5Y, value of 3 through 5, chroma of 2 or 3. It is clay loam or loam. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR and 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7, chroma of 2 through 6. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam and silicate clay content ranges from 18 to 30 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral through moderately alkaline and noncalcareous in the upper part to moderately alkaline and calcareous in the lower part. Concretions, soft masses, and threads of calcium carbonate range from few to common in the Bca horizons. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 15 to 50 percent, with less than 40 percent in the control section.
The C horizon when encountered is brownish, calcareous loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam. Some pedons have gravelly layers below a depth of 60 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in the same family. Other similar soils include the Austin, Paloduro, and Stephen series. Austin soils have more than 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. Paloduro soils are dry in the moisture control sections for longer periods. Stephen soils are less than 20 inches deep and clayey.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Velow soils are along gently sloping colluvial footslopes and shallow valleys. The soil formed in local calcareous alluvium. Mean annual temperature ranges from 64 degrees to 79 degrees F.; average annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 30 inches; and Thornthwaite annual P-E index ranges from 38 to 44.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blanket, Bosque, Owens, and Set series. Blanket soils have a fine-loamy argillic horizon and occupy positions similar to the Velow soils. Bosque soils have mollic epipedons more than 20 inches thick and are below on flood plains. Owens and Set soils have clayey surface layers and are above on hillsides and escarpments.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Velow soils are well drained. Runoff is medium and permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for rangeland, but a few areas are cropped to small grain and forage sorghum. Native vegetation is little bluestem, sideoats grama, indiangrass, switchgrass, Texas wintergrass, western ragweed, curley-cup gumweed, Engelmann-daisy, and maximillian sunflower. Liveoak trees are common, along with invading mesquite.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central and central Texas. The series is moderate in extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Palo Pinto County, Texas; 1977.

REMARKS: This soil has formerly been mapped as Lewisville or Venus.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.